S&T Country Report - Albania - WBC-INCO Net

Name of
initiative:
Network of Regional and Local Business Centres (BSCs)
Contact person: Ljiljana Božović (Senior adviser for institutional support, SMEDA)
Email: ljiljana.bozovic@nasme.cg.yu
Website: http://www.nasme.cg.yu/eng/projects/isupport/is1.php
In Montenegro, a network of regional and local business centres (BSCs) has been
developed (six regional centres and three local ones), providing a number of
subsidised services for businesses. In partnership with donors (such as EAR and
GTZ), SMEDA has created:
• 4 regional agencies/centres (Podgorica, Bar, Rozaje and Bijelo Polje).
• 7 local sub-centres.
• 1 Euro Information Correspondence Centre.
More than 70% of the territory of Montenegro is now covered by these regional
centres, which provide support to entrepreneurs during the various phases of their
operation, expansion and development. The services include:
• Consulting;
• Business plan development;
• Internet support; and
• Marketing.
A number of other organisations are active in Montenegro, such as GTZ. In addition,
private bookkeepers, lawyers and auditors have also become established in
Montenegro. Most BSCs have developed on an adhoc basis, with different donors
and international organisations typically taking the lead in developing their own
models and approaches. None of them have achieved financial sustainability and are
not likely to do so in the near future (OECD and EC 2007).
As indicated on the webpage of the Directorate for Development of Small and
Medium-sized Enterprises, establishment of regional and local business centres is
one of the priorities of the Agency and is organizing institutional support for their
development local / regional level. The main project objective is SMEs development
support through establishing institutional network at local and regional level - and
providing support for citizens in place where they live. The sub-objective would be
lightening regional differences through adequate SME development support at local
and regional level, but also getting needful information for better defining the
Government policy and strategy in this area. The strategic development destination
of this economic segment has been defined through this system, at all regional
levels, which the Commune covers. Therefore, it is needed to provide the
development decentralization.
The main project task of "institutional support for small and medium-sized
enterprises" is establishing business centers at local level, which will afford certain
services:
a) Develop - analytical
page 20/MNE